Gideon Amichay

But that hasn’t been true for a long time.

I was reminded of that saying when like everyone else; I came across the powerful cover of the latest edition of TIME magazine. I was exposed to it, I guess like many others, even before I could make out the magazine itself.

It got me thinking. A picture is not worth a thousand words, it is worth so much more; so very much more.

One picture is worth exposure in thousands of newspapers that very same day, all around the world and in tens of different languages. Innumerable internet posts, shares, responses and comments on every social platform available – with engagement reaching sky high sparking discussions/criticisms/reviews/remarks/commentaries.

At the end of the day, it’s all about one BIG idea; a fabulous picture and breathtaking cover. Exactly that which every magazine is supposed to deliver once a week…

The latest cover of TIME magazine reminds us all, of the incredible importance of the magazine cover. It’s the magazine’s display window – the ultimate attention capturer, while right and left hundreds of other magazines are vying for your attention. A magazine cover as magazine covers were meant to be: strong, salient, opinionated; argument inducing; a tribute to the concept that is a “cover”.

In the past, magazine covers were the focal points of a brilliant idea encapsulated into a dazzling piece of art direction accompanied by a razor-sharp headline. Those mythological covers not only made history, but more than once even entered the pantheon of some of the world’s most preeminent museums. All you have to do is think back to George Lois’s wonderful covers for Esquire magazine, and the unforgettable exhibition at the MOMA. These covers, more than anything else, were a testament to great journalism; journalism in its purest and most cutting-edge form.

Today however, a quick glance over at the newsstand and you may have to cover your eyes and avert your gaze for the thousands of texts and words smeared over every cover page. All headlines screaming at you, in all colors of the rainbow. Words that were meant to promote but do the exact opposite, attenuating and blurring their points of difference in place of accentuating them; words that shrewdly and loudly the lack of a real idea. Yes, a pretty face does still sell, but when everyone uses the same technique, it works a lot less well and most importantly, it’s boring.

And then TIME magazine comes with a picture that is worth only a “thousand words”….but so it seems, is worth a lot more requests for subscriptions. It doesn’t only work in the brick and mortar world of magazine selling but also in the demanding world of weekly subscription selling. Not really surprising considering that a cover picture has always been about impulse marketing, just like the impulse marketing of sweets and candies practiced at the check out registers in supermarkets: three seconds flat to see, be overcome and buy. What’s the wonder then that it works for the business of selling magazine subscriptions too.

Once upon a time, a picture was worth a thousand words.

Today, however, a picture is worth a million media impressions.

Just a little more effort can make all the difference. In international jargon, they call it the extra mile. The little extra effort that can turn “good” into “excellent”, that can upgrade a service experience from one that is standard, to one that is unforgettable.

Yesterday evening I had dinner with my good friend Uri, and without going into details, I will simply state that he always has a sparkle in his eyes which reminds me of how wonderful it is people choose to do exactly what they love.

Considering Uri comes from the food business and culinary experiences are something he’s specialized in these last 20 years or so, it was clear he would be responsible for picking the restaurant we’d eat in. He chose Aquagrill, a fish and seafood restaurant in Soho. No jumping up in protest please. I eat Kosher, and nothing in that respect has changed no matter how many octopuses we were surrounded by.

The food was great and I say that in spite of the fact that gourmet experiences are generally too big for me by a few sizes (Lost on me by a few counts). The service was outstanding and it seems to me in fact that the Chef must have graduated from School of Visual Arts with honors too. Every dish came with its own design and special touch. Trust me on that, I know a few people that would have skipped a heartbeat over them or better yet written a song or two.

Feasting over some good wine and sparkling water, nature called and Uri strode off to the toilets leaving me with time to look right and left. Considering no future Mrs. Amichay appeared on the horizon, my eyes landed or should I say took off to the chandelier above our table.

That was the extra mile, I told myself, not only great food, stunningly beautiful designed dishes, a desert which out of consideration for my readers I shall not describe here, but a chandelier that was simply breathtaking. Let’s say you can’t buy one of these on the corner store. In fact, a special order would probably also not help in this case.

When Uri came back I signaled for him to take a look at the lamp. Uri, who was enjoying every minute of our evening up until now, pulled out his camera for the first time of the evening.

Every creative tries to push to the limits. Then, his creative director pushes further.

Later, his chief creative officer will push harder. And finally, the worldwide chief creative officer will give it another last push.

The 2012 New York Festival Executive Jury, with so much wisdom in one room, was an extraordinary experience.

Let’s push even further.

In memory of my parents, Shlomo and Rachel Amichay
Over the years, whenever someone asked me what my parents do, I’d say:
“Mom is a housewife, Dad sells kindergarten equipment.”

But these past few years I realized how wrong I was.

Dad was an entrepreneur, inventing and developing and assembling thousands of toys with his own two hands. Mom was my first creative director.

“There are no consumers out there. There are people. It’s about time we deleted the idea of ‘consumers’.” – Gideon Amichay

Maybe you could come down from the tree for a second. I’d like to take a picture of you.
- “Who are you?” asked the squirrel.
Never mind that. Nobody knows me here. What do you care, I only said one picture.
- “I’m eating now, can’t you see?”
OK, OK I replied, just one picture and then I’ll go.
- “OK” he said with a sigh and jumped down onto the grass. “But one and no more”.
Yes, I answered, but not on the grass. The light is no good.
- “What do you want with the light? In a second you’ll be telling me the floor is crooked too”.
Jeez, you’re really funny I said. And in case you were wondering it’s not a floor it’s grass.
Maybe on the bench? What do you say?
- “The bench is for people like you, who need to rest after every picture they take. Once upon a time you’d carry on walking, but now you have to get comfortable to upload it to Facebook”.
Hold it buddy, that’s good for you too. You know being a little friendlier wouldn’t hurt you.
- “I’m not going to eat on any bench, and besides, there is no table” he said closing the argument.

In the meanwhile other people had gathered around me to watch and I could already see how the whole thing was going to go to hell.

Listen, I said, this may not be American Idol, but think of this as an audition for “The Nut Cracker”.
- “I actually like Tchaikovsky; they sometimes play his music here in the park”.
Aha, I thought to myself, I’ve finally tickled his interest and then maybe not, but he agreed to climb up onto the bench. Great I said, but the picture will be better if you stand at its end.
- “Listen, I’m no clown, and I need to eat while doing this, and I don’t have any hands to hold on to….”
It’s peanuts, I heard myself telling him, you can do it and after this audition, the sky is the limit. New York. Broadway. Before you know it, Disney will be lining up to sign you on.
­- “Pixar already spoke with me” he said chilling my enthusiasm “and truth is I felt we had a better connection”.
Ok, friend, come on, climb onto the edge I caved but still insisted. Unbelievable what this little guy was making me do. Come to think of it maybe it was a “she”. That already made more sense.
- “Yo! I haven’t got all day for you, you know, so get on with the zoom and switch to color ‘coz I heard you got a thing for black and white”.
OK, OK here. I switched. Color it is. What’s your deal? Black and white is more c-r-e-a-t-i-v-e.
- “You believe that old wives tale too!? What’s with you people?!”
I switched to color and he climbed up the bench with the same agility as Baryshnikov in the good old days. Right onto the edge. Great I said, but you’ve gotta stand in profile, because otherwise it doesn’t look good and you know this might just end up a 60 second commercial at the next Super bowl.
- “Exactly” he answered. “We always steal the show there”.
Actually looks like the dogs have had the upper hand these past couple of years I retorted.
- “Yes but we’ll make a comeback. You just wait and see”.
He stroked a pose on the bench and waited.
No, I said making a funny face. Your profile from the other side looks a lot better!
- “Anyone told you you’re a pain in the ass?” he asked.
They didn’t say, but I know I said. But you are the model, so it’s in your interest this comes out looking good.
- “Yes, speaking of interests” he said “there were a few people here from Pinterest yesterday who wanted to sign me on. But I didn’t agree because their pin gets stuck in my back and if already I’m going to do the social media thing then it’s Facebook for me – the biggest network of them all”.
I feel the same way I said and just so you know, I’m not going to add on any backgrounds or effects or anything. We’re doing this totally naturally.
- “Of course, what did you think! I’d never agree otherwise. People pass here all the time with Instagram, and I never was good enough for them. They always want to change my color, or put some aging effect on me. They never stood a chance with me”.
I totally agree with you but maybe you should know Facebook bought them up last week…
“What! When did that happen?” he asked.
Last week. Don’t you read the papers, I asked.
- “Not so much” he admitted “once upon a time people would leave newspapers lying around the park, but there are not so many of them these days”.
But didn’t you catch it on the internet I asked.
- “No.  The park Wi-Fi has been down for a few days. I told them to restart the thing – but hey! I’m a squirrel! Would they listen!?”
Yes. The good old restart trick I thought to myself. I’ve got a friend. Yovel. I admire him.
OK, let’s hit it. Let me see your profile. That’s right. Great. Don’t move.
Click.
Now, I told him, with this picture and all my friends, you’d better set up a profile on LinkedIn.

Photo: Gideon Amichay

To be different means to be alive. Extra miles are always good when it comes to innovation. People will appreciate it. Go for it!

- Mom, I’m the one, who is in charge of the weather.  The one, who is in charge of the temperature, of the atmosphere…
- What do you mean by that? She asked me.
- Mom, whenever there’s the right temperature, the right weather, people can be more creative.

Plenary Panel: ‘Broadening the Conversation’ with Ambassador Ido Aharoni, Consul General of Israel in New York; Scott Siff, CEO, BrandAsset Consulting, Y&R; Zavi Apfelbaum, Senior Head of Brand Management at Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Gideon Amichay, former Chief Creative Officer and Joint Managing Partner in Shalmor Avnon Amichay / Y&R Interactive, Tel Aviv. Moderated by: Gil Lainer, Consul for Public Affairs, Consulate General of Israel in New York